1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to an external haptic generator for creating haptic feedback in portable electronic devices and more particularly, to external haptic generators in vehicles capable of providing a secure mount for the portable electronic device and creating haptic feedback in portable electronic devices that do not include haptic feedback generators.
2. Discussion
Electronic devices are used throughout our daily lives for many things including communication, entertainment and time management. These electronic devices are increasingly becoming more portable and more powerful thereby allowing users to do an increasingly amount of activities remotely in the course of daily life. For example, many people have smart phones that allow them to access email, surf the web, and do other activities in addition to phone services. Other electronic devices commonly include traditional cell phones, music players, video players, tablets, and GPS navigation devices. More and more users are integrating these devices into motor vehicles.
While a vehicle is in motion, typically a lack of locations exist to securely mount the electronic device. Furthermore, such devices are powered by batteries and require the user to continually monitor battery life and recharge the batteries when needed. As electronic devices become increasingly complex, greater demands are placed on the batteries of the devices thereby shortening battery life. Therefore, many users desire locations in the vehicle that securely mount the electronic devices while they are also being charged and also allow access to the devices by vehicle occupants. For example, many users attach a cell phone to a charger cord plugged into a power outlet in the vehicle and then to prevent the cell phone from falling on the floor or underneath a seat, places the cell phone loosely in a free cup holder. Such placement within a cup holder is not desirable as the cell phone is typically not visible or useable by the occupant unless it is removed which may distract the operator of the vehicle. In vehicles where the cup holders are already in use, these electronic devices many times are free to slide off from a center console onto the floor or under the seat and a driver may become distracted while trying to retrieve the device or monitoring another vehicle occupant retrieving the device.
To improve and enhance the ability for users to interface with various electronic devices, some manufacturers have added haptic feedback device systems to the portable electronic device, however, most portable electronic devices still do not come with haptic feedback devices. In general, haptic feedback systems interface with a user via the sense of touch by applying forces, vibration, and/or other motions to a surface which is then felt by the user. Haptic feedback systems are helpful in providing the user with feedback without visual confirmation by the user especially when the input member is small to easily see, such as a touch screen on a mobile phone. Haptic feedback is very useful in situations where the ability of the user to visually confirm actions may be constrained, such as the operator of a vehicle attempting to provide input to or change settings on any of the portable electronic devices described above.
Most portable electronic devices do not include a haptic feedback generator, however, in view of the above, there is a desire to provide a system which allows for haptic feedback in certain circumstances even if the portable electronic device does not include its own internal haptic generator. In addition, there is a desire to provide a system that securely mounts and places the portable electronic device as well has the capability in certain circumstances to provide a charge to the portable electronic device.